As part of the 2016 Fall Puppet Forum Series, the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry at the University of Connecticut will present a discussion with acclaimed UConn Puppet Arts Program Director Bart. P. Roccoberton, Jr. and alumni of the UConn Puppet Arts Program entitled The Future of Puppetry at UConn on Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 7 p.m. in the Ballard Institute Theater, located at 1 Royce Circle in Storrs Center.

Over the past 50 years, UConn’s Puppet Arts Program has played a major role in shaping the nature of American and international puppetry. What will the next 50 years bring to the world of puppetry, and how can UConn best prepare its students to make substantial contributions to the future? Join Puppet Arts Program director Bart. P. Roccoberton, Jr. and celebrated UConn puppetry alumni in a compelling discussion about the future of puppetry and UConn’s role in it. Puppeteer and voice-over artist Pam Arciero is well known for her work on Sesame Street as Grundgetta, but is also the Artistic Director of the O’Neill Puppetry Conference. Rob Saunders is Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Animax Designs, which develops high-quality animatronics and puppet characters for the theme park and attractions industries.

Upcoming 2016 Fall Puppet Forums include:

November 16: Object, Image, Text: The Bread & Puppet Press, with Max Schumann (Printed Matter) and Clare Dolan (Museum of Everyday Life)

December 7: Making Marionette Theater with Frank Ballard, with Steven Brezzo (Opar, Inc.), Fred Thompson (Eugene O’Neill Theater Center), and Steve Abrams (Editor, Puppetry Journal)

Admission to this event is free (donations greatly appreciated!), and refreshments will be served. Come early, and experience our puppet exhibitions, as well as the video resources in our library nook. Forums will be broadcast via Facebook Live. Visit bimp.uconn.edu or call 860.486.8580 for more information.

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